No. 943 – The Ghost of Tom Joad

Performer: Bruce Springsteen

Songwriter: Bruce Springsteen

Original Release: The Ghost of Tom Joad

Year: 1995

Definitive Version: None

I bought Tom Joad as soon as it came out, which is notable, because I’m not really a big Boss man. But I read that it was essentially Nebraska II, I was geeked to get it.

But I was even more geeked for that year’s Ohio State-Michigan game later that week. If you know anything about college football, you know this is a big game. In 1995, I made it clear to Debbie, my family and all my colleagues at work: I was rooting for Michigan. Although this was tantamount in Columbus to saying I was throwing in with Saddam, everyone—and I mean everyone—gave me special dispensation to openly root for Michigan that year.

Why? The week before the Big One, Northwestern, my graduate alma mater, had racked up Purdue to finish the Big Ten season undefeated. It had been a stunning year that had included defeats of Notre Dame and Michigan (they didn’t play OSU), but because NU had lost to Miami of Ohio (WTF?), the only way my beloved Mildcats—no WILDcats—would go to the Rose Bowl was if Michigan beat Ohio State.

Fortunately, this was when OSU uniforms read “Property of Michigan” on the inside and OSU’s coach couldn’t win a big game if he were given a 50-point lead in the fourth quarter. The game was somewhat close but the outcome never really in doubt, and when the clock read 0:00, Northwestern was headed to its first bowl game in my lifetime, and it was THE bowl game.

I immediately got on the phone to call about plane tickets to LA, but as soon as I figured out that it would cost me at least $1,000 just to get there with no guarantee of a ticket, I bagged that harebrained scheme. My buddy Jim went, but I honestly don’t regret that I didn’t go, even if it’s the only chance I might have to see my team in the Rose Bowl. And I still proudly wear my 1996 Rose Bowl sweatshirt.